A LoyaltyLobby reader sent us a question regarding a downgrade from business to the economy from San Francisco to Hawaii (not the best way to start a honeymoon).
Readers are encouraged to send us questions, comments, or opinions by email, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. We’ll try to cover them here several times a week.
You can access Alaska Airlines here.
Email that Alaska sent out about the downgrade:
Here’s what the reader sent to the customer care:
My husband Michael and I flew AS821 on July 16, and we were extremely disappointed when we arrived at the gate. We learned that Michael was involuntarily downgraded to an economy seat, and were told this was because an employee needed the first class seat we booked.
We were surprised that he was selected to move, given his and my status with the airline, and that we purchased the ticket in cash (not points). Friday was our flight to Hawaii for our honeymoon after getting married earlier this year – this experience with the airline soured the beginning of our trip, given that we had been looking forward to it for months. Why not seat the passenger in Economy when there were many open seats? It really didn’t make any sense to us.
The gate agent said that Michael would receive some Alaska Airlines points and some amount of a cash refund. I’d like to instead request that you provide a full refund for Michael’s fare (around $475), as the 4,000 points offered have lost some value with us – I now wonder if I’d be lower on the chopping block for the next downgrade if I end up using those points.
I would be happy to speak directly with a member of the airline in case you have any questions. I hope we don’t have the same issue going home on Monday.
An additional note
Hi John – wanted to share this email with you and see if you had any recommendations for a reply
United States DOT has specific and costly rules for airlines when they bump passengers (they have sold more seats than what is available on the flight).
You can access US DOT’s page for Bumping & Oversales rules here.
Unfortunately, the compensation is more modest when downgrade takes place:
Bumped passengers are NOT eligible for compensation in the following situations:
Downgrading – A passenger is downgraded from a higher class of seating to a lower class. In this case, the passenger is entitled to a refund for the difference in price.
The problem here is that sometimes the economy fares can be more expensive or roughly the same as the business class ones (or domestic first in the United States). Also, the airline should compare the fares in place when the ticket was purchased, not when the flight took place.
The fare that the reader here is referring to is $475. It is unclear if it is paid business/first or space available elite upgrade. If the latter, then per the DOT rules, there would not be compensation at all.
I would file a complaint with the DOT for the downgrade to get an adequate level of attention from the airline. You can do it here.
I would not blame the airline employee who Alaska, likely contractually, was required to seat in the business cabin. The employee will probably work shortly during the flight, and you want that person to have been rested. Perhaps flying them to Hawaii will ensure that some flights won’t be canceled.
Conclusion
Involuntarily downgrades are very unfortunate, especially in the United States, because there could be very little if any compensation regardless of whether it was a paid fare or an upgrade.
There is better legislation in place for EU/EEA where the passenger is eligible to get 75% of the fare back in case of a downgrade even when an upgrade instrument was used that some airlines in the continent provide.
I feel that 4,000 Alaska Mileage Plan miles are a very modest compensation for downgrade. However, as the reader has already done, I would escalate and request more miles or a certificate (funny money) if it was a complimentary upgrade or the fare difference if it was a paid business fare.
Adam Carolla mentioned Alaska downgrading passengers recently on his podcast. Seems that they have been doing this a lot lately. Poor business practice. It gives me no faith to book business seats with them.
I am amazed at the naivete! Alaska has joined OneWorld. They must get operations to a level consistent with American Airlines! Sound like progress is being made.
Of course, maybe their real target is United!
Adam Carolla mentioned Alaska downgrading passengers recently on his podcast. Seems that they have been doing this a lot lately. Poor business practice. It gives me no faith to book business seats with them.
I was sorta downgraded a while back. Not Alaska but Qantus LAX to SYD. Paid extra for exit rows (the exit rows are by doors, so me at 6’3″ sticking my legs out straight cannot hit the seat or bulkhead in front.
They had equipment change and “bumped me” to regular seat. When I noticed on the tickets I went to make a fuss (I had one world status) a few times at the gate asking how I got bumped with status instead of someone else, but no dice. Of course it is not considered bumping as it is just a regular seat that they charge a premium to get. They get to play games with the premium seats that have upcharges like Premium Economy/Regular Economy.
Anyway I ended up having to do a credit card chargeback for the exit row fees (it was either $150 or $300 I can’t remember as we had two seats). (1) They did not automatically give me a refund – I even asked at the gate (2) I filled out their own claim form showing the original tickets (with exit row) and the new tickets (no exit row) along with the credit card receipt, and they said I never paid the fee so denied it so I (3) Did a chargeback using their denial as proof that it was never received.
Only after doing the chargeback did they respond and finally refund me.
This was easier then the 1st/Economy change since it was a set $ amount for the seats, rather then an incremental difference.
That is too much – charging a set fee for something, taking it back at the last minute, then not refunding the fee.
Yeah. Qantas is not very good airline when it comes to refunds.
Your 100% right with that. I have been waiting 4 months for some refunds from flights Qantas cancelled. They blame Covid but as this is now 19months its not acceptable.
Thanks for shedding light on this important topic. Glad to have this reader submit this important question. And of all times for it to happen, on a honeymoon. What ever happened to upgrades for the happy couple? I for one will reconsider flying Alaska to Hawaii from now on. What a shame.
My big question is how come a paying passenger is downgraded and an employee gets the better seat….
This said, the most important comment in this article is that the representative compare the pricing at the time of booking not at the current time. And I do think asking for a complete refund is unreasonable. Let’s face it the passenger did take the flight. Also, it may be easier to ask for some other forms of compensation that could better the experience while not costing the airline much.
It is not uncommon when airline employees are requires to travel to operate flights (not voluntary commuting). You want your pilots to be rested, right?
Give me a break. Pilots are plenty rested – they work 100 hours/month. They are such primadonnas – let em fly coach like 95% of their customers.
It is not uncommon when airline employees are requires to travel to operate flights (not voluntary commuting). You want your pilots to be rested, right?
I mean, it’s too bad this lady’s husband didn’t get the upgrade she hoped for, but she did get what she paid for, an economy seat. If she wanted to sit in first on her honeymoon flights, then she should have bought a first-class ticket. American carriers have created a monster with the frequent fliers who want upgrades for free, when they could be selling those seats for money.
Hi Alan – my name is Daniel and I sent the letter to John with my story. My husband and I bought first class tickets with cash – no upgrade passes, no points, just a full-fare I-class ticket on Alaska (with wallet funds from a trip we had to cancel due to COVID). Avoiding this situation is exactly why we purchased first class tickets in February, and I’m still waiting on a response from the airline.
One other point I want to make – on one of my many pleasant flights on Alaska, I had the pleasure of sitting beside President Ben Minicucci in Economy. I thought this was a great gesture of how Alaska prioritizes customers. Unfortunately, my experience flying to Hawaii didn’t meet my high expectations of the airline.
Alaska did a similar thing to me. Moving me from a “premium class” seat that I paid a premium cash price for, to a regular economy seat because the flight was oversold or some such non-sense. In the process they split me from my wife and daughter. Not a pleasant experience at all. This was a 5 hr flight from SEA to CMH. It’s also the reason we are Delta customers now. Worked out for us in the end. OP, sorry this happened to you. Terrible way to start a trip.
Oh and they did not refund the difference in fare. Classy operation.